My father in law was a sophomore in high school in North Kansas 7 Dec 1941. On 6 June 1944 he would land on Omaha Beach in France. He would eventually lose his left arm. He and his buddies volunteered. There were no deferments. There was no bragging about exploits. There was only Patriotism. Something so many know nothing about. Thanks Dad. You are long gone but you will always be our Hero.

One served in what is today Iran. The other served in the Pacific (was part of the battle of Guadalcanal). My grandfather survived polio when he was a very young child that twisted his spine and deformed his foot. He begged the Army to let him in after Pearl Harbor. He said he would drive trucks, cook, whatever they needed but they turned him down. It hurt him deeply that he wasn't able to serve our country.

In and out of uniform, for those who served in any patriotic manner. God Bless your Grandfather, A Real American Hero.

At the time, he was still in High School. Three years later he was piloting a B-17 out of Italy to bomb targets in Germany. Things changed quickly for young guys because of that.

He died in 2021 at the age of 96, on the same day the insurrection at the Capitol happened. What a double whammy of a day that was!

He was so tall that was the only branch of the service who would accept him and that was the only spot he could serve.

All of the people who served saved us. And all of the people who stormed the Capitol shamed us.

at the time, and told us firsthand what it was like in the States on this day and the days that followed. They said it was a very scary time. First, the Great Depression, and then a World War. Rationing, air raid drills, blackout shades, and overnight it seemed like everyone was in uniform. Their news came via radio, movie newsreels, and newspapers. I would like to see both of them again, but at the same time I am so glad they are not alive to witness this current state of affairs.

September 2 1945, he was on his ship in Tokyo Harbor when the war ended.